DVLA cares
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• I was interested to read your Comment column (CM, 6-12 June) about problems caused to training organisations as a result of delays in issuing provisional vocational driving licences. I hope that your readers — our customers — will find it helpful to know the latest position.
The transfer of work from the Traffic Areas to DVLA was carefully planned by DVLA and the Traffic Area Offices. On 1 April, DVLA was charged with responsibility for issuing vocational driving entitlement (combined with the new-style European Community model licence) from Swansea for the first time, and for dealing with those applications outstanding from the TA0s.
To limit any inconvenience to vocational drivers, particularly those applying for provisional LGV and PCV licenses, these applications have been given top priority.
First applications for vocational driving licences are now being processed within six working days, which compares well with the 10-day target set for the Traffic Area Offices.
To help us identify first applications for vocational entitlement, a special post code, SA99 1BR, has been introduced. We are publicising this so that training organisations and individuals can include it on the envelopes they use, and any mention of it in Commercial Motor will be a great help. As an additional aid to speedy identification, we would like to suggest that "1st LGV/PCV application" should be written in red on the envelope too.
Priority is being given to first applicants because they are unable to drive until their entitlement has been granted. But renewal applications are not being neglected and these are now being dealt with in 10 to 12 working days. Again this compares well with the historic performance for this service, although our aim is to bring the time down to six days as soon as possible.
hope that you, and our customers, will accept that the agency does care deeply about the quality of service it provides and that we are fully aware of the needs of our customers. The new vocational driver licensing system administered from DVLA will generally mean a more efficient and quicker service to drivers, although I accept that it might not have seemed to be so in the first few weeks.
Peter Collis Head of Driver Licensing Division, DVLA, Swansea.